Tightly fitting elastomeric articles, such as surgical and examination gloves, may be difficult to dispense or don due to “bricking”, the tendency of the exterior surface, or gripping surface, of the glove to stick to itself. As a result, various techniques have been employed to reduce glove bricking. One such technique includes halogenation, for example chlorination, of the gripping surface to reduce the tackiness of the glove. While effective, chlorination of gloves is costly because it requires a large quantity of water, chlorine-safe equipment, and costly drying heat.
At the same time, it may be advantageous lubricate the interior surface of the glove to further enhance donning, comfort, and so forth. Application of a lubricant using traditional immersion techniques often results in inadvertent treatment of the gripping surface, thereby potentially compromising the wearer's ability to securely grasp objects.
As such, a need exists for a simplified, cost-effective technique for modifying the surface characteristics of a glove. In addition, a need exists to be able to treat one surface of an article without inadvertently treating another.